How to Mark Up an English Pool Table for Snooker

There are four things you will need to mark up your table:

1> Tape Measure (or ruler)
2> Marker Pencil or Pen
3> Snooker D marking stick

4> Pack of Spots (Small or Large)

Once you have these tools and accessories you can mark out your table simply and quickly. What you will need to be able to do is reach the very edges of your slate (bed of your table). The best way to show the markings required is with a diagram as below, please click on the image to get a much larger version to print or save as you wish.

The safest way to mark up the cloth is to when marking the measurements on the cloth put a mark to the length of (for example) length B right on the edge of the cloth on either side of the slate and then you can put a ruler across the table lining up each measurement and putting a small cross in the middle of the table, small enough to be covered by the spots you intend to cover the marks with. The marks you made on the edges of the cloth will then be unseen once the slate is in position as the cushions cover the marks you made.

You should note that with the snooker table markings above you will need to also make the blue spot mark, this is the very centre of the table, half way between the two middle pockets.

Finally you will need to mark the baulk line and D. The baulk line is a simple case of using a ruler to mark a straight line across the table, once this is done mark with a small line the center point of that baulk line, this is where you will pivot your snooker marking stick. So once your baulk line is there with it's center point marked take your snooker marking stick and place it so that you have an implement (screw driver or bradle spike) through the hole at one end (the one that has no label) so that the implement sits right at the point where the line crosses the baulk line. Then at the other end of the stick there will be holes with number labels which correspond to your table size and the one which corresponds to your table size is where you need to put your pen or pencil and mark the cloth putting tension on your pivot point so as to get a constant distance and no slop (prevents creating a thick line). You are obviously trying to create a D shape from the baulk line so slow down when you get close to the baulk line so that you don't put any lines over the baulk line, they just want to connect.

Once you have made all the marks on the table you will need to put a spot to cover each of your marks.

If you do not have any of the above parts required to mark up your table or simply would like some accessories to maintain the cloth on your table then you can get all these accessories from our online store.